11 Answers

Calcium deficiency will have a minimal effect on his gums and teeth; however, the following foods are rich in calcium: Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, turnips, and collard greens; fortified cereals such as Total, Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes (they have a lot of calcium in one serving); fortified orange juice, soybeans, fortified soy milk (not all soy milk is a good source of calcium, so it's best to check the label). Enriched breads, grains, and waffles will not have an affect on his gums and a minor effect on his teeth.

I, personally, am not a fan of isolated supplements unless they are used short term to treat a specific issue. Our bodies better able to absorb nutrients from food than from supplementation. There are many non dairy sources of calcium including:

Spinach
Kale
Okra
Collards
Soybeans
White beans
Some fish, like sardines, salmon, perch, and rainbow trout
Foods that are calcium-fortified, such as some orange juice, oatmeal, and breakfast cereal

Plant milks (almond, soy, etc) often provide the same or more calcium than milk.

Calcium absorption from calcium pills is poor and can lead to development of kidney stones so I will re-enforce trying to obtain the calcium from food.
I hope this helps.

I don't like to recommend the ingestion of anything artificial when it comes to vitamin deficiencies. Full text books have been written on this issue and some take-home message does not apply to all circumstances. Suffice it to say the natural calcium prevalent in the skeletal components of the human body are not the same as supplements that we take orally to expect them to be effective this would be the province when endocrinologist.

You need to discuss this with his physician. You can ask his dentist or pediatrician for PolyViFlor - a prescription fluoride vitamin. The amount of fluoride he should take will depend upon how much fluoride he gets now in his toothpaste and water.

As part of your pursuit to figure out how to handle your son's calcium deficiency, I would start supplementing calcium. If your are going to spend money on supplements, the calcium and vitamin D is most important for teeth and gum health. Vitamin D helps us absorb the calcium.

Yummi Bears has a vegetarian calcium for kids, with D3, that is allergen, gluten, gelatin, and dairy-free. The only downside is that it calls for 3 bears a day. Please make sure to brush after taking the vitamins.

In addition to supplements, I try to make sure your kids drink calcium-fortified, unsweetened almond milk daily. Also make sure your kids get leafy greens like spinach and kale which help their diet be more well rounded. Broccoli is also another green vegetable that you can choose from.

This is more of a question for your physician but most of the vitamins that we buy over the counter contain more supplements than we need and the excess is excreted from our bodies. Typical Flintstone vitamins are probably be more than enough.

Hi there. Surprisingly, milk is not the only source of calcium as advertised. There are many milk alternative drinks that have more calcium than milk itself. Vegetables such as broccoli contain great amounts of calcium as well. I have 3 children and we are all lactose intolerant. We have been supplementing our calcium through calcium containing vegetables such as broccoli or milk alternatives such as the Ripple brand. It is a very tasty drink from peas with less sugar than milk and so much more protein and calcium. If you live in an area that you have access to Whole Foods or any high-end groceries, you will find many milk alternatives with more calcium content. In the end, you can always give them the chewable calcium tables as well, which are not my personal choice due to their sugar content and being sticky (which is not healthy for the teeth).
I hope I could answer your question. Best of luck.

Your pediatrician should be able to recommend an appropriate dosage of an FDA-approved calcium supplement. This will only be effective till age twelve or so because there is no calcium exchange from tooth to body after the tooth is erupted.

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